Indicating electric lamp



Dec. l0, 1940. G, E, BIDWELL INDICATING ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Feb. 5,. 1937 2 Sheets-Shezet 1 mEU-lwnI/E- a ,I M 7/ .5.

Dec. 10, 1940. G. E. BlDwr-:LL

INDIcATNG ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Feb. 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/wm I hunch 1 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates generally to electric lamps in which some means is provided to indicate at a distance that the lamp is alight, and particularly to an electric lamp arrangement of 5 this character wherein the light emanating from the lamp itself is conveyed to the distant point to indicate to an observer at that point that the lamp is in operation, and an important object of my invention is to provide an indicating lamp arrangement of the character indicated which is simple and inexpensive and is easy to install and operate.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an indicating lamparrangement of the character indicated above which eliminates the necessity for incorporating a tell-tale lamp in series with the lamp energizing circuit, with the attendant expense and diiculty of installation and operation.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in an indicating lam-p arrangement of the character indicated above, means for conveying intelligence of the operation of the lamp to an observer at a distant point, which elim- 25 inates the necessityand desirability of a tell-tale lamp in circuit with the main lamp, and the frequent replacement of the tell-tale lamp which is necessitated by its smaller. capacity than the main lamp and its subjection to the same current as the main lamp; or the provision of relay means to temper the energizingcurrent to the smaller tell-tale lamp.

Another important object4 of my invention is to provide an indicating lam-p structure of the character indicated which is especiallyv adapted for use in closets and the like, in theuse of which persons commonly forget to extinguish the lamp and close the door thereof, and inadvertently leave the lamp burning; so that such person is positively warned by indication at the outside of the closet that the bulb within the closet is still burning. A'

Another'important object of my invention is to provide an indicating lamp structure of thecharT acter indicated immediately above, in which the main lamp may be switched on or off from either the inside of the closet or the outside thereof.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general elevational view of the outsideof the wall of the closet or the like in which the lamp structure is mounted, and showingthe indicating lens. Figure 2 is an elevational view of the inner side of the said wall showing the main lamp structure. Y

Figure 3 isa Vertical transverse sectional View taken through Figure 2. Figure 4 is a. longitudinal sectorial View taken through the lamp structure and showing one form of mounting of the light conveying tube. y Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 of another embodiment of the invention involving a different manner of mounting the light conveying tube of the outlet box.

Figure 6 is a modified form of the invention in front elevation illustrating novel means for adjusting they lamp socket for any desired size of bulb.

Figure 7 is a side .elevational view thereof partly in section. y

Figure 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of the plate. v v

Figure 9 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the position of the socket with respect to the plate for a large size globe.

Figure l0 is,a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the manner in which the laterally extending arm of the socket is secured in adjustable position in the longitudinally extending slot in the plate. l Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the wall in which theV lamp structure is mounted, this wall being either the door of the closet or other enclosure, or one of the front or side walls thereof which is exposed within the room into which the closet opens. This wall has therein a horizontal opening 6 which opens at its inner end in a recess 'I which is of a size and form to receive a conventional outlet box 8 which is mounted therein as shown in Figure 3. The light conveying tube 9 lies within and along the passage 6 and has at its outer end a housing I0 of suitable form which has a rim II which retains a jewelled lens I2 of suitable indicating color such as red. The housing I0 has prongs I3 which engage the outer side of the tube 9 and the axially inward side of a retaining nut I3 which is threaded on the end 0f the tube 9 to hold the housing inl place on the tube 9 and in the recess I4 which is provided at the outer end of the passage 6 as shown in Figure 3. The lens I2 isspaced from the end of the tube 9 to Apass the switch operating chain I5 which depends through an opening I6 provided in the bottom of the housing I as shown in Figure 5.

The opposite or inner end of the tube 9 is threaded as indicated by the numeral I'| into one end of a bushing I8 into whose opposite end is threaded as indicated by the numeral I9 the auxiliary tube 20. The bushing I8 passes through a receiving opening in the wall 2| of the outlet box 8, and nuts 22 and 23 are threaded on the bushing I8 against opposite sides of the wall 2| of the outlet box to hold the tubes 9 and 2U properly connected thereto. 'Ihe tube 20 has on its inner end the nut 24 which acts as a retainer for the wall plate 25 of the main lamp fixture and holds the wall plate 25 in engagement with the inner surface of the wall so as to hold the main lamp 28 in place. The main lamp involves a bulb 21 mounted in a suitable socket 28 in which is a pull-pull switch 29 operated by a chain 38 which depends through an opening 35 in the bracket 32 which supports the socket 28 on the wall plate 25. The chain I5 is connected to the chain 30 and the chain I5 passes through the tubes and 9 to and through the housing I0 as already explained. The main lamp energizing wires 3| come out of the outlet box 8 and pass through accommodating openings in the plate and enter the socket 28 as illustrated in the drawings. It will be obvious in view of the described arrangement of the chains I5 and 30 that the main lamp 21 may be switched on and switched off by operation of either chain, from either the inner side of the wall 5 or the outer side thereof.

The axes of the tubes 9 and 28 are coincident or substantially so, and located so as to receive the light directly from the bulb 21, so that this light travels in a straight line or the equivalent to the jewelled lens I2 while the lamp 21 is alight, so that a person at the outer side of the wall 5 will be instantly and unmistakably informed that the bulb 21 is alight, whether or not he can see the bulb 2l, as when the door of the closet is fully or partially closed.

A modiiied arrangement for connecting the tubes 9 and 20 with the outlet box 8 is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, wherein the outlet box is generally designated 8 and the inner Wall thereof 2|. In this instance the tube 9 is threaded in an accommodating opening in the wall 2| and into a sleeve 33 into whose opposite end the inner tube 20 is threaded, at the inner side of the wall 2|'. At the outer side of the wall 2| a nut 34 is threaded on the tube 9' and against the wall 2|' to lock the connection.

Obviously, if so desired the inner surface of the light indicating device may be coated with a paint or any other non-light absorbing material to increase the efficiency of the terminal of the illuminating rays from the source of light to the jewelled lens.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, there is shown a further modied form of the invention in which, the plate is provided with a centrally disposed longitudinally extending slot 42 in which there is adjustable: by means of the nut 44 the laterally extending arm 46 carrying the lamp socket 48. It will be noted in this connection, that for proper illumination in closets of different sizes, it is necessary to provide difterent sized bulbs and to this end, the arm 46 is longitudinally adjustable in the longitudinally extending slot 42 so that, the upper portion of the globe 58 regardless of the size thereof may be disposed directly opposite the tubing 52. For eX- ample, as shown in Figure 7, the laterally extending arm is positioned in the slot 42 through the medium of the nut 44 for a globe of relatively small size and as illustrated in Figure 9 the laterally extending arm is positioned somewhat lower in the slot to accommodate a larger globe 56 to the end, that the upper portion of the globe 56 is disposed substantially adjacent the tubing 52 providing for an efficient communication of the light from the bulb 5B through the tubing 52. In the same manner as previously described wlth respect to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the socket 48 is provided with a depending pull chain 58 and a pull chain 60 extending upwardly and through the tubing 52 for access on the outside of the closet.

Although I have shown and described herein preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be denitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and. arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is;

l. The combination with an electric lamp of a light conveying tube aligned therewith and extending away from the electric lamp, a light transmitting member at the end of the tube remote from said lamp, said lamp comprising a;

bulb, a socket receiving the bulb, a wall plate mounting said socket, an outlet box, means supporting said wall plate on said outlet box, said wall plate being provided with a longitudinally extending slot in which the socket is longitudinally adjustable at right angles with respect to the tube for accommodating lamps of different sizes.

2. The combination with an electric lamp of a light conveying tube aligned therewith and extending away from the electric lamp, a light transmitting member at the end of the tube remote from said lamp, said lamp comprising a bulb, a socket receiving the bulb, a wall plate mounting said socket, said. wall plate being pro. vided with a longitudinally extending slot in which the socket is longitudinally adjustable at right vangles with respect to the tube for accommodating lamps of different sizes, and means extending through said tube for controlling the energization of said bulb.

3. The combination with an electric lamp of a light conveying tube 4aligned therewith and extending -away from the electric lamp, a light transmitting member at the end of the tube remote from said lamp, said lamp comprising a bulb, a socket receiving the bulb, av switch to cut the lamp on and off, a wall plate mounting said socket, said wall plate being provided with a longitudinally extending slot in which the socket is longitudinally adjustable at right angles with respect to the tube for accommodating lamps of different sizes, said switch comprising an operative member having an actuating element extending through said tube for operation adjacent said light transmitting member, and a second actuating element for operation adjacent said lamp.

4. The combination with an electric lamp of a light conveying tube aligned therewith and extending away from the electric lamp, a light transmitting member at the end of the tube remote from said lamp, said lamp comprising a bulb,

a socket receiving the bulb, a wall plate mounting said socket, an outlet box, means supporting the wall plate on said outlet box, said wall plate being provided with a longitudinally extending slot in which the socket is longitudinally adjustable at right angles with respect to the tube foraccommodating lamps of different sizes, said socket being provided with a switch tocut the lamp` on and off, said switch comprising an operative member having an actuating element extending through said tube for operation adjacent the end of the tube remote from the lamp, and a second actuating element :for operation adjacent said lamp.

5. The combination with an electric lamp of an outlet box, of a pair of separably connected light transmitting tubes extending through said outlet box and being secured thereto, said tube having one end disposed adjacent said electric lamp, said lamp comprising a bulb, a socket receiving the bulb, a wall plate mounting said socket, said wall plate being provided with a longitudinally extending slot in which the socket is longitudinally adjustable at right angles with respect to the tube for accommodating lamps of different sizes, said socket comprising a switch to cut the lamp on `and 01T, said switch comprising an operative member 'having an actuating element extending through said tube for operation at a point remote from the end of the tube adjacent the lamp, and a second actuating element for operation adjacent said lamp. l

GEORGE E. BIDWELL. 

